Drape forming, such as vacuum drape forming or hot drape forming, is a process of making composite parts (e.g., parts made from composite materials). Drape forming is performed by positioning composite materials, such as plies, on a draping tool that has a shape of a composite part to be fabricated. The drape forming process involves deforming a bladder (e.g., an elastic, flexible membrane) about a draping tool (e.g., a die) using vacuum pressure. As the bladder deforms about the draping tool, the bladder exerts force on the composite materials to conform the composite materials to the shape of the draping tool, forming the composite part. In a hot drape forming process, heat is applied to the composite materials as the bladder is applied (e.g., vacuumed down) over the draping tool to increase elasticity of the composite materials.
Depending on the shape of the draping tool, defects may occur as the bladder forces the composite materials into the shape of the draping tool. Inspecting a fabricated component part for defects is expensive and time consuming. Computer modeling or simulation may be used to detect (or predict) certain defects. However, some defects may be difficult to simulate (e.g., may not be predicted) using current computer modeling techniques. Accordingly, designing a part free of defects may take multiple design iterations, increasing overall manufacturing costs.